Page 41 of Herds and Hooves

“Well, yeah. I mean if you want to be. I consider you way more than just a friend.”

I took his hand as we stood there against the wall in the ER and didn’t give one shit about who saw or what they thought. “I want to be. More than I’ve ever wanted anything.”

“Even more than—” He leaned in close and waggled his eyebrows.

“Maybe not more than that,” I said and kissed him softly.

“Good thing,” Bart said and drew in a deep breath just as Asa called us back into the room.

“Would you guys mind if we stop by Don’s on the way back home?”

“Nope, how much longer will you be?” I asked just as the doctor walked in.

“Afternoon, gentlemen. I know you’re here to pick up this youngster. He’ll be about an hour more. He broke the end of his humerus, his upper arm bone, closest to the elbow, so he’ll need a full cast and probably some help at home. I’d also appreciate it if you don’t let him work as hard as I know he does.” She looked at both of us, but I held my hands up.

“I don’t work on the dairy,” I said and took the easy way out.

“I’ll do what I can, but he’s a stubborn old coot and doesn’t listen to anything we say when we try to get him to slow down,” Bart said and avoided eye contact with Asa.

“Asa, we’ve been here before. Let your hands do the hard stuff. You can be their supervisor for the next six to twelve weeks. That bone is going to take a while to fully heal.” The doctor had to be around Asa’s age and had been here as long as I’d been in Foggy Basin. She had short grey hair, bright blue eyes, and took no shit from any of the townsfolk that ended up in her ER. Doctor Maggie Ford was a no-nonsense physician who didn’t waste time on niceties but always provided excellent care.

“I’ll try, Maggie, that’s all I can promise.”

“You’ll do more than try. You won’t be able to do much with that cast so enjoy a little time off with Don.”

Was I the only one that didn’t know they were spending time together. I really needed to start paying more attention.

“Don’t worry, we’ll make sure he takes it easy,” Bart said making Asa scowl and Dr. Ford roll her eyes. The next few months were going to be fun on the farm.

Thirty-Three

Bart

“Poor Asa,” I said as I glanced at him slumped against the door. Drugged out of his mind and wearing a cast from shoulder to wrist attached to a sling that held it close to his chest.

“He’ll be fine, he just needs to take it easy,” Keith said.

The three of us squeezed into his old truck cab so it wasn’t the most comfortable ride, but I didn’t want to knock into Asa’s arm and make it hurt again. Because even on pain meds it had to hurt. “Don’t forget to stop by Don’s.” I called him when we left the hospital and he was happy to know Asa was okay, but he was also anxious to see for himself.

Asa stirred but didn’t say anything. “He’s not going to do well with not working,” Keith said.

“We’ll let him boss us around more than normal. He’ll be thrilled,” I said and knew it was true.

A short time later we drove into town and Keith turned down a street I hadn’t been to that he said was where Don lived. “We’re nearly there, you might want to see if you can wake him up.”

I gave Asa a good shake and he woke with a start. “Wha—what happened?” he yelled and pushed at the seat belt before pulling back in pain. “Fuck, I forgot.”

“We’re just pulling up to Don’s,” Keith said. It was one of the smaller houses on the north side of town that were probably here from when the town was first built but had been torn down and rebuilt a few times. As soon as the engine was off the front door opened and Don hurried out with his cane, being careful but moving as fast as he could.

“Don, be careful,” Asa said and tried to unlock the seat belt.

“I could say the same, you old fool. Are you okay?” he said as he got to the truck and spoke to Asa through the window.

“Yes, Noah drove me to the ER and the boys stayed there with me. Sounds like I’ll be down and out for a while.”

“I guess we’ll be watching lots of movies,” Don said and settled his hand on Asa’s.

“Maybe you can watch some from this century,” I said making Don chuckle and Asa shake his head.